Which CGMs are available without a prescription in the US? I’m very interested in using a CGM for a few weeks, but the information I have found keeps directing me to insurance info rather than private pay/ personal use.
I don’t think any of them are available without a prescription currently….
The two places that I am aware of are Nutrisense and Levels. I have been using Nutrisense for the last 3 months. You fill out a short online form and they gat the prescription for you. You don’t need to have a medical issue, just and interest in your metabolic health.
I am using the device to understand what I can and can not eat. Certain foods really send my glucose way up - bread for instance. Another thing I have found is cycling sends my glucose up, though I understand this is not a harmful thing.
Both Levels and Nutrisense (and January.ai) require an Rx, but they take on the magic of prescribing. There are also ways to get a CGM to your “EU address”.
I was also able to get Abbott to send me a free trial of their Libre3 CGM without a normal Rx (Abbott basically filled the Rx).
But I do think Levels/Nutrisense/January are great options if you want to understand your diet’s impact on your blood sugars. Supersapiens is probably the one I’ll stick with in the long term since it’s closer to what I want to learn (nutrition + endurance cycling).
@rtkowalski - I bake bread, and one thing I have learned is that yeasted breads will cause a sharp blood glucose response. Naturally leavened breads (sourdough starters) have a lot less of a response. My last experiment was with buckwheat groats, steel cut oats and flax seeds. This barely caused a response in any of the 3 CGMs I was wearing (yep, 3 CGMs… for science!).
How much does Nutrisense cost / month?
I was part of the Supersapiens trial that came out of SBT GRVL…while I found the process interesting, not being able to see my glucose readings while I was actually riding was an exercise in frustration.
I used a supersapiens in the past and could have it on my 530 (but it required bringing my phone with me, which I do anyway).
LOL. I read this thread title and immediately thought of organic lawn care — Corn Gluten Meal is a byproduct of corn processing that you can spread on your grass as an amazing all-natural organic pre-emergent herbicide.
Crazy? Yes. Guilty as charged.
I signed up for the 3 month plan. You get 2 sensors a month for $250.
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I did not know that about naturally leavened breads. I will have to give that a try. Thanks.
I have been using Veri for CGM access in US
I would recommend taking a look at Signos. https://www.signos.com/
They handle the presceripton for you.
It has a couple of advantages over Veri/Levels/NutriSense, etc that use the Abbot Freestyle Libre 1/2 sensor.
- Signos uses the Dexcom G6 sensor.
- The sensor is fulltime Bluetooth LE to your phone, so you don’t have to tap to scan (NFC)
- You can see the Sensor output on your Apple Watch, Garmin Edge, Garmin Watch, etc in near real time, without having to do tap to scan (NFC). This has advantages for during workouts if your are using it for exercise nutrition.
SuperSapiens can also operate in a similar mode, but is not available directly to US customers.
I like that idea of no scanning needed but seems that cost is quite a bit higher compared to Veri (unless you commit to 6 month plan)? Monthly looks like it is about 2x the cost of month-to-month Veri.
Some great responses. I need a little clarification: I don’t necessarily need to know what my numbers are mid-workout as long as I can review the numbers later and/or get them on demand. For those who have tried multiple units, can you give a side by side comparison?
How about now? I’m interested to try out a CGM but don’t know what’s out there available and worthwhile and no Prescription needed